The first season of Gravity Falls officially premiered on June 29, 2012, but the first episode aired as a sneak peek, on June 15, 2012. The season consisted of 20 episodes.[1]

Twin brother and sister Dipper and Mabel Pines are in for an unexpected adventure when they spend the summer with their great-uncle in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Upon their arrival, Dipper and Mabel's huckster great-uncle, also known as Stan Pines, enlists the siblings' to work at the Mystery Shack, a "fun" tourist trap he owns that overcharges unsuspecting customers, with no pay. Although Dipper and Mabel quickly discover the Mystery Shack itself is a hoax, they sense there is something strange about their new town and together they begin to unlock the secrets of Gravity Falls.

Toward the end of the season, when asked if there was anything he regretted, or would have changed about Season 1, Alex answered in the affirmative; Saying he would have included more mystery stories, had less Wendy/Dipper episodes, and spaced them out more.[2]

When Grunkle Stan convinces Mabel to go on a date with their seemingly cherubic new neighbor, Gideon Gleeful, to question his authenticity as a psychic, she soon learns that his cuteness can immediately vanish.

In a quest to attain manliness, Dipper ventures into the forest to battle the notorious Multi-Bear. Meanwhile, Mabel tries to teach Grunkle Stan how to become an attractive man to women, particularly, Lazy Susan.

When Stan throws a party, Dipper uses an off-kilter copy machine to make clones of himself so he can impress Wendy. Meanwhile, Mabel stands up for her friends, and she fights for the Party Queen title in their honor.

When Dipper and Mabel discover evidence that the reported town founder is a hoax, they set out to expose the historical cover-up and to prove that Mabel's silliness is not just an embarrassing personality trait.

When Dipper wishes he could go back in time and undo a mistake, he discovers that there is a real time machine for his upper advantages. Meanwhile, Mabel wins a pet pig, which she names Waddles, at the fair.

After being challenged to a video game battle by Wendy's boyfriend Robbie, Dipper is shocked when his favorite playable fighter, Rumble McSkirmish, comes to life to defend him. However, Dipper eventually loses control over Rumble, and he has to find a way to stop Rumble.

It’s Gravity Falls’ version of Halloween in Summer with jack-o'-melons and lots of trick-or-treating. Dipper and Mabel are excited to join in on the fun, but when Wendy casually mentions that trick-or-treating is for kids, Dipper’s whole outlook on the evening changes. The night gets even more complicated when a monster that Dipper accidentally insulted makes them fulfill his candy quota by night’s end or else he will eat them.

When Mabel discovers that her favorite boy band is actually a bunch of imprisoned clones, she wants to set them free. However, after Mabel becomes attached to all of the band members due to nurturing them, she is unwilling to set them free. Meanwhile, Dipper is convinced that Robbie plans to brainwash Wendy with a secret message hidden inside one of his songs.

Pint-sized huckster Gideon Gleeful has swindled the Mystery Shack away, forcing Dipper, Mabel and Grunkle Stan to move in with dimwitted Soos and his grandmother. When Stan weighs whether he can still take care of his grandniece and grandnephew, Mabel and Dipper decide to take on Gideon.[33]

Production

The series, created, directed and executive-produced by 2007 California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) graduate Alex Hirsch (Fish Hooks,The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack), is a production of Disney Television Animation. Set in the Pacific Northwest woods of Oregon, the animated series features supernatural elements of adventure and mystery, inspired by the real-life summer trips shared by Hirsch and his twin sister while visiting relatives as kids.

Alex Hirsch has provided conflicting information regarding the number of episodes in the first season. On August 8, 2012, he said there would be 21 episodes.[34] However, on July 7, 2013, he implied there are only 20 episodes as "Dreamscaperers" is the 19th episode.[1] On July 8, 2013, he confirmed his original statement of 21 episodes was incorrect.[35]

Distribution

Cover for Volume 2.

The first season is available on itunes on two volumes in SD/HD. Episodes were released within a week of the episode's premiere on Disney Channel. The exception being "Boyz Crazy" which was accidentally released under the title for "Carpet Diem" days before it actually aired. The same mix-up was included in "Disney Channel Freaky Freakend" compilation package, both mistakes were later fixed. "Summerween" was also released in "Disney Channel Monstober, Vol. 2," and later the short, "Candy Monster" was released under "Monstober, Vol. 3." Vol. 1 of Gravity Falls consists of the first 10 episodes,[36] and vol 2. consists of the last 10 episodes.[37] The first episode, "Tourist Trapped" was available for free download on iTunes, for a brief period of time during the show's initial premiere, and in January 2013 was chosen for Starbucks "Pick of the Week."[38] The episodes are also available on Youtube and Amazon, and volume 2 is available on Google Play .

Alex Hirsch has lamented and requested a full DVD/Blu-ray with episode commentary and extras to Disney, but was told it would be too expensive. A full DVD set could only be possibly made depending on how well the other DVDs sell, the number of people who go to the Disney store and request for Gravity Falls merchandise, and how well the series does in ratings.[40]